7 bloody good reasons to visit Israel in 2018

If you’re still on the fence about visiting Israel, we’re here to convince you that a visit to the Holy Land in 2018 has to be done! We’ve come up with 7 bloody good – no, make that excellent – reasons why you should be buying that ticket to Israel…

In no particular order…

Israel will be celebrating the big 7-0!

That’s right, despite the endless stream of media interest and stories about Israel, this little country has only officially existed for 70 years (she’ll turn 70 in April). To celebrate the fact that she officially turns into a truly old lady, there are likely to be some amazing celebrations this year. Watch out for the annual Independence Day celebrations, which are likely to be crazy fun, as well as the official 70th birthday celebrations, which are taking place in April/May.

We’ll post more about any big parties and events to watch out for as we get notified, so keep an eye on our regularly updated Events page.

Visit the Dead Sea before it…dies

We love the Dead Sea, oh yes we do, but unfortunately, the Dead Sea may well not be around for future generations to enjoy. We witnessed for ourselves the alarming rate at which it’s disappearing last summer (as part of our crazy caravan tour through Israel we stopped by at the Dead Sea for a boat ride that highlights the ever-sinking sea levels), and were shocked. Seriously, get over here and check out out one of the world’s true wonders – and take a float, splash on some famous Dead Sea mud, and soak in some some of those “safe” sunbeams…before it’s too late.

Chris, Andre, Ringo & Ozzy are coming!

The days when barely a B-lister would make it to the shores of Israel for a show are well and truly gone. The last few years truly has seen a deluge of big-names; in 2017 some of the very biggest and best were here, including Radiohead, Aerosmith, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, and Jerry Seinfeld. 2018 already looks promising, with shows by comedian Chris Rock, composer Andre Rieu, and rock legends Ringo Starr and Ozzy Osbourne among the names already confirmed. And who knows, perhaps this will be the year when local music fans finally get a concert by Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, and/or Duran Duran…let’s put those endless rumors to rest fellas!

It’s never been cheaper to fly here!

With a deluge of low-cost options opening up over the last year or so, it’s never been cheaper to fly to Israel! We’re talking some big names here – Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, China Airlines, HainanAirlines and CathayPacific have all announced they’ll be increasing the number of flights to Israel through 2018, as well as the number of cities you can fly from (18 new flight routes to Ben Gurion Airport were launched in 2017 from destinations in Europe, Miami, and Iceland by various airlines). With a move away from the typical marketing to Jews and pilgrims to market Israel as a hot, new vacation destination, expect the number of low-cost options to expand still further in 2018 (and Ni Hao to all the ever-increasing numbers of Chinese tourists!)!

Israel is perfectly safe!

OK, so by now you’ve probably realized that Israel lies in the Middle East and is surrounded by less than welcoming neighbors. And yes, you’ve probably also heard about the ongoing tensions and occasional terror attacks, thanks to a blood-thirsty media looking for a story…but seriously, this country is safe! As long as you stick to the well-worn tourist routes (and even the less than familiar routes), you’ll be perfectly fine. We wrote this article about how safe it is in Israel a while ago, but it still rings true today…

Join the record-breaking party!

With a record-breaking number of tourists visiting Israel in 2017, come and join the party! Seriously, with tourism set to go from strength to strength over the coming months – and with a definite move on the part of the Ministry of Tourism to entice the vacationer and not just the pilgrim – this little slice of heaven will soon be heaving with tourists! And with a definite squeeze on the number of hotel rooms currently available, you’d better get over here quick! Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with a list of great accommodation options and budget-friendly hostels!

Sea & sun ALL YEAR LONG!

Just in case you weren’t aware already, Israel lies at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean. Which typically means plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures. And then when Winter does decide to turn up, you can always head for Eilat, at the southern tip of Israel, and located on the Red Sea (with just 50 mm of rain a year!). With the brand spanking new Ramon airport (located just north of Eilat) scheduled to be open later in 2018, Israel is about to be crowned the ultimate sun & snorkel champion of the region! And if you were also thinking of heading across the border to Petra in Jordan (try one of these amazing Petra tours), Eilat is also perfectly located!